Five years since the COVID-19 Pandemic upended the Economy and made Millions experience Hunger for the First Time, Demand at the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services is still Higher than ever. The number of Monthly Clients has risen to 310,000, more than Double the Number of People the Food Bank served before the Pandemic. So it was a blow this month, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Halted hundreds of millions of dollars in Federal Funds for Food Banks. A total of 330 Truckloads bound for Food Banks across the State has been Suspended, according to the California Association of Food Banks, A Food Bank is a 501(c)3 Nonprofit that has a Board of Directors representing the Community it Serves, with No Indication of when or if they’ll be delivered.
The Biggest potential Hit is to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, where 90 expected Truckloads are in limbo. Also caught up in the Freeze were 11 Truckloads of Food, 400,000 pounds, that the Sacramento Food Bank was expecting over the next Few Months. The Orders were promised during the Biden (D) Administration, which in December 2024 announced a Bonus Round of Food Orders on Top of Deliveries the USDA normally makes to Food Banks. The Freeze of the Bonus Orders came as Food Banks brace for other Cuts, both from a New Trump (R) Administration intent on Reducing Federal Spending and from California’s own State Budget Deficit, after several flush Budget years in the Pandemic. In Washington, Congress is also considering Cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which sends about $1 billion a Month to Low-Income Californians to Buy Groceries.
U.S. Department of Finance (USDF) Spokesperson H.D. Palmer, said it’s still too Early to determine whether California can Afford to make-up the Federal Spending being Cut. Already, the Food Banks Association is urging Lawmakers not to Reduce the State Food Assistance dollars, but they’ll be jockeying for Attention amid a myriad of Real and Potential Federal Cuts in everything from Higher Education to Rural Road Repairs, Refugee Resettlement Services, and the Massive Low-Income Health Program Medicaid.
“These are Sophie’s choices,” said State Assembly Member Gregg Hart (D-CA, 37th District, Santa Barbara), who Chairs a Budget Subcommittee that’s evaluating Potential Federal Funding Shortfalls. “Every single thing that we could talk about has a federal funding connection that’s in jeopardy and the state just doesn’t have the money to backfill it.”
California Food Banks have gotten more than $80 million through the Program since 2022, with some Grants expected to Last through mid-2026. They were expecting another $47 million in the Program’s next round, before that was Cut on March 7th, said State Department of Social Services (CDSS) Spokesperson Jason Montiel. It was Unclear why the Grant was Canceled and the Orders Halted. Under Trump, Federal Agencies have Moved to Halt or Cut Grants, in a quest to Purge Waste and Spending on Programs that don’t meet the Administration’s Ideological Tests.
California is slated to Reduce Food Banks’ Funding. For several years when the State had a Record Surplus, it Devoted Millions of Additional Dollars to a State Program called CalFood, that allows Food Banks to Purchase from Local Farmers or Food Producers such as Tortillerias. Those Boosts gave Food Banks about $60 million a year, through CalFood over the past Three years. in the Budget Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has Proposed for the Fiscal year that starts in July, that Funding would Revert to $8 million.
The Federal and State Food-Purchasing Funds have made up the Majority of the $3.5 million the Sacramento Food Bank spends to Buy Food Annually, Buffalino said. Purchased Food makes up 40% of the Groceries the Food Bank gives away. The rest is delivered by the USDA or Recovered from Supermarkets that can No longer Sell it. Though Demand at the Food Bank receded slightly as Jobs started to Recover from the Pandemic, Clients quickly came back because of Inflation, Buffalino said. Food Prices last year were nearly 24% Higher than in 2020. “It’s been a steady increase (in clients) over the past five years,” He said.
Farmers, too, will be affected by the Grants’ Cancellation. The Federal Food-Purchasing Funds have allowed Small Farmers to Buy Nnew Equipment, Invest in Greenhouses and Expand their Footprints to serve Bulk Buyers, said Megan Kenney of the North Coast Growers Association in Humboldt County. Kenney Coordinates Food Orders between Two Regional Food Banks and about 40 Farmers, all of whom Plant fewer than 100 acres each. Over the Winter, She and the Farmers planned what they would Plant based on Food Bank Demand, expecting Federal Funds to back the Purchases.
“They were encouraged to do these sorts of things,” Kenney said. “If they have to make a larger investment into seeds or labor without getting to see a return, they could really see that impact.”
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